New Jersey awards $3 million to help workers access benefits and understand workplace rights
TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has awarded $3 million in grants to 31 organizations and collaboratives through the latest round of its Cultivating Access, Rights, and Equity, or CARE, program.
The funding will support outreach, education and technical assistance efforts aimed at helping workers understand and access state benefits and workplace protections.
Launched in 2022, the CARE program funds community organizations that provide information and assistance related to paid family and medical leave, unemployment insurance and workplace rights, including earned sick leave, minimum wage laws, overtime protections, wage theft prevention, worker misclassification, the Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights and the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights.
According to the state, CARE grant recipients have made direct contact with nearly 300,000 workers since the program began, helping thousands secure benefits and protections available under state law. Grantees have also reached more than 9,800 employers with information about labor law compliance.
“The partnerships NJDOL has built through the CARE grant program demonstrates our commitment to making it a reality that every New Jersey worker knows their work rights and how to exercise these rights in every community across our state,” said Acting Commissioner Jarvis. “By working with trusted organizations, we are able to further our outreach and connect even more Garden State workers and families with the benefits and protections they deserve.”
Grant recipients include community organizations, worker centers, social service providers, libraries, professional associations, maternal health programs and faith-based organizations serving historically underserved communities and small businesses.
The program focuses on reaching workers who may face barriers to accessing information, including low-wage workers, immigrants, women, refugees, survivors of domestic and sexual violence, young workers and communities of color.
Several organizations received funding to provide paid family and medical leave navigator services, helping workers understand eligibility requirements, complete applications and plan for time away from work.
“During pregnancy, it can be difficult to navigate work benefits and plan for the arrival of your baby. Paid leave navigation services will provide families with vital support and guidance throughout their parenting journey, ensuring they fully utilize the benefits available to them. We appreciate this outstanding opportunity from the New Jersey Department of Labor,” said Emily Haines, chief nursing officer at the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey.
“We are honored to partner with the New Jersey Department of Labor and our community partners to expand access to critical information about workers’ rights,” added Jesselly De La Cruz, executive director of the Latino Action Network Foundation. “This investment allows us to reach historically underserved communities with culturally and linguistically responsive education, ensuring workers have the tools and knowledge to advocate for themselves and their families. Together, we are building pathways to greater equity, protection, and opportunity in the workforce.”
The state said grantees will participate in NJDOL training sessions and conduct outreach through community events, one-on-one counseling, application assistance, presentations, workshops, social media campaigns and other educational efforts.
More information about the CARE grant program is available through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The complete list of 2026-2027 grantees is below:
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Cultivating Access, Rights, and Equity (CARE) |
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Collaboratives |
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Lead Organization |
Partner Organizations |
Counties Served |
Amount |
| New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence | Resource Center, Exhale Women’s Fellowship, Harambe Social Service, Wafa House | Statewide |
$125,000
|
| New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund | Laundry Workers Center, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, Wind of the Spirit | Statewide |
$120,000
|
| Lakewood Resource & Referral Center | STEPS
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Monmouth, Ocean
|
$115,000
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| CATA | Allies in Caring, Revive South Jersey, PRAC
|
Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem
|
$100,000
|
| Latino Action Network Foundation | Casa Freehold, Resistencia en Acción, Lazos America Unida
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Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth
|
$80,000
|
|
Cultivating Access, Rights, and Equity (CARE) |
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|
Single Organizations |
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Organization |
Counties Served |
Amount |
| Family Health Initiatives | Statewide |
$135,000 |
| Church World Service Jersey City | Statewide |
$125,000 |
| Norwescap | Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset,
Sussex, Warren |
$115,000 |
| Ironbound Community Corp. | Essex |
$100,000 |
| Make the Road | Essex, Middlesex, Passaic, Union |
$100,000 |
| VietLead | Camden |
$100,000 |
| Perinatal Health Equity Initiative | Essex, Passaic, Union |
$90,000 |
| South Ward Promise Neighborhood | Essex
|
$80,000
|
| Rise | Mercer, Middlesex |
$80,000 |
| Jefferson Park Ministries | Essex, Union |
$70,000 |
| Legal Services of New Jersey | Statewide |
$7,000 |
| Immigration and American Citizenship Organization | Statewide |
$70,000 |
| Second Street Youth Center Foundation | Union |
$70,000 |
| CEUS | Hudson |
$70,000 |
| CUMAC/ECHO | Passaic |
$70,000 |
| Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund | Mercer |
$65,000 |
| New Labor | Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, Union, Warren |
$65,000 |
| Family Support Organization | Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem |
$55,000 |
| Employers Association of New Jersey | Statewide |
$55,000 |
| HOPES Community Action Partnership
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Hudson, Somerset, Union
|
$50,000
|
| AAPI New Jersey | Statewide |
$50,000 |
| The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey
|
Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean
|
$50,000
|
| Trenton Health Team
|
Mercer
|
$50,000
|
| Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey | Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, Warren |
$50,000 |
| The Hoboken Public Library | Hudson |
$25,000 |
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Cultivating Access, Rights, and Equity (CARE) |
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|
Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights funding |
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|
Lead Organization |
Partner Organizations (if applicable) |
Counties Served |
Amount |
| National Domestic Workers Alliance | Adhikaar, Casa Freehold, Lazos America Unida, New Labor, Resistencia en Acción, Hand in Hand | Statewide |
$420,000 |
| New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund | Laundry Workers Center, Wind of the Spirit | Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Union, Warren |
$60,000 |
| Jefferson Park Ministries | Essex, Union
|
$55,000 |
|
| Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund
|
Mercer
|
$35,000 |
|
| Legal Services of New Jersey | Statewide
|
$30,000 |
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